Goat Milk

 

 

 

 

The U.S. dairy industry has traditionally relied on monthly milk production reports from the USDA to monitor the availability of milk supplies and project dairy product output. Historically, decreases in farmgate milk production indicated reduced supplies of both fluid milk and key milk components, like butterfat and protein, which are essential for producing dairy products such as cheese, butter, and yogurt. A decline in milk supplies often signaled the potential slowdown of dairy processor expansion plans.

However, the dynamics of U.S. milk production are evolving. While the total volume of milk production has declined for 14 consecutive months through September 2024, the production of butterfat and protein—key components in many dairy products—has increased in 12 of those months. This shift underscores a significant transformation in the industry, where milk composition now plays a more critical role than overall milk volume.

A report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange describes this “decoupling” of fluid milk production from milk component production as a paradigm shift driven by increased consumer demand for manufactured dairy products. More than 80% of U.S. milk is used for producing solid dairy products that depend heavily on milk components, while less than 20% is used in fluid beverages.

To adapt to these changes, the report suggests that the USDA’s milk production reports should be expanded to include data on protein and butterfat levels, providing a more comprehensive view of the industry. Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist at CoBank, noted, “A more robust report would be informative to producers, processors, and retailers for better planning and risk management.”

The shift in focus from milk volume to milk solids is reshaping the dairy market. Cheese production, for instance, has benefitted from higher butterfat and protein yields in milk, with each 100 pounds of milk yielding 11.2 pounds of cheese in 2023, compared to 10.1 pounds in 2010.

This trend extends beyond the U.S. domestic market, as manufactured dairy products are driving export growth, further emphasizing the demand for milk components. With over $7 billion invested in new dairy processing capacity, both at home and abroad, the industry is poised for continued growth in response to these shifting demands.

The Milk Component Pricing provisions have incentivized dairy producers to focus on increasing protein and butterfat content in their milk, driven by soaring consumer demand for high-quality dairy products like cheese and yogurt.

While updating the USDA’s monthly milk reports to include milk component data may pose challenges, Geiger emphasizes the long-term benefits for the industry, given the permanent shift towards milk solids in consumer preferences.

 

 

 

Guernsey Dairy has encountered issues with both its cheese packaging and organic milk production over recent weeks, impacting product availability. Customers are returning cheese after problems with the packaging equipment meant it has been going mouldy.

Managing Director Andrew Tabel revealed that faulty seals on the back of some mild cheese packaging had ‘caused a slow leak of the nitrogen/CO2 mix, which is essential for preserving cheese and extending its shelf life’.

While only a small number of the distributed packs were affected, the decision was made to withdraw remaining stock as a precaution. So far, around 30 packs have been returned out of the 1,620 distributed during the affected period. Tabel assured that adjustments to the packaging equipment had been made, and a trial run with rigorous checks would soon confirm if the problem was fully resolved.

On the organic milk front, Tabel explained that an outdated thermograph, used to measure temperatures, needed replacement, but a direct substitute was unavailable. Engineers fitted a similar device, which is currently being programmed. A trial will determine if organic milk can return to shelves in the coming days.

Local retailers indicated minimal disruption. Ian Wood, a local supplier, noted only a few customer complaints regarding spoiled cheese, which were quickly resolved with replacements or refunds. The issue with organic milk, which has persisted for about four weeks, affected only a small portion of the product line and caused no significant difficulties.

Patrick Kilroy-Doyle, who supplies the Forest Stores, said he had not been adversely affected on this occasion. ‘Apart from having no organic milk it’s been business as usual really,’ he said.

Retailers have been kept informed throughout, and with corrective measures underway, Tabel expects operations to return to normal soon.

 

Summary

 

A variety of manufactured dairy products can be produced from goat milk, including cheese, fluid products (low fat, fortified, or flavored), fermented products such as cultured yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream and kefir, frozen products such as ice cream or frozen yogurt, butter, and condensed, packaged and powdered products.

 

Goat milk is quite similar to cow milk in its basic composition, the significance of goat milk and it’s products in human nutrition and well-being can never be underestimated. However, producing high quality raw milk is of utmost importance for successful production of dairy goat products because dairy goat products provides essential nutrients in human diet, as well as income sources for the survival of mankind in ecosystems of many parts of the world. And the contribution of dairy goat products are also greatly valued by those who have cow milk allergy and other nutritional diseases.

 

 

Cheese

Cheeses hold the greatest economic value among all manufactured goat milk products. According to the Agriculture Handbook of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are more then 400 varieties of goat cheese and lists more then 800 names of cheeses, many of which are made from goat milk or combination of goat milk with cow, buffalo or sheep milk.

 

The general procedures of cheeses manufacturing are:-

• Preparation of goat milk
• Standardizing the milk
• Setting the temperature
• Adding starter cultures
• Adding rennet
• Cutting curds
• Cooking
• Draining whey
• Salting
• Hooping
• Pressing
• Packaging
• Aging

 

*Take Note: Soft cheese are made by natural draining without pressing.

 

Simple Soft Cheese Recipe

 

I have been experimenting exclusive Homemade recipes using unpasteurized goat milk, and the results are astonishing –  more suggestions and followers on social media platforms.

This is an easy handmade recipe that only requires half  gallon raw goat milk, the strained juice of 2 medium lemons, a thermometer capable of the 180-200°F range, some “cheesecloth” (many cotton cloths will work for draining), and some coarse salt,  like kosher or sea salt.

*Take note – The recipe will not work well with pasteurized milk.

 

Directions:

• Heat raw goat milk on medium heat (in a stainless steel pot) to 185°F
• Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice
• Stir for several minutes until milk has curdled
• Add 1/2 tablespoon of coarse salt (optional)
• Pour milk through cheesecloth
• Wrap curds in cheesecloth and hang (using a rubber band works well) in the refrigerator to drain
• Drain for 4-8 hours, depending on how dry you want the curds
• Scrape curds off cloth into bowl and stir

 

That is all there is to it!  You can use on toast, in salads, with pancakes or whatever you wish. Experiment using herbs (added at the end when you stir the cheese). For larger curds, heat the milk well into the 190’s before curdling. Experiment with curdling temperature and drying time to get the cheese that meets your needs. Happy experimenting !

 

 

Condensed,Packaged and Powdered Goat Milk

Today, Condensed, Packaged and Powdered Goat milk are manufactured and marketed in most part of the world besides the United States. Evaporation is usually done under reduced pressure, primarily to allow boiling at a lower temperature to prevent heat damage. Powdered products available include Whole milk, Skim milk, Whey and infant foods. Packaged products available include Skimmed, Whole and UHT milk.

 

Frozen Products.

Ice cream and frozen yogurt are manufactures from goat milk and cream. The popular flavor choice formulations of goat milk ice cream are Chocolate, Strawberry, French vanilla, Blueberries and Cream and combination with fruits or other ingredients.

Many varieties contain sugar although some are made with other sweeteners. In some cases, artificial flavorings and color is also used. This mixture is stirred slowly while cooling to prevent large ice crystals from forming. The result is a delicious and smoothly textured ice-cream.

 

Frozen Goat Yogurt Recipe

The homemade Frozen Goat Yogurt Recipe is creamy and delicious and with the frozen dessert, you can take an island vacation without leaving your yard. Adding coconut, pineapple and pecans give variety and flavor to this frozen dessert.

Want to learn how to make yogurt easily? And most importantly, be sure to allow sufficient time, up to one day for the yogurt to culture before you freeze it. The recipe is for a 4-quart freezer.

 

Ingredients

• 6 cups goat milk yogurt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 can /13.5 oz. coconut milk
• 1 can /15 oz. crushed pineapple – undrained
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• * Optional – 1/2 Tbsp. rum flavoring

 

Directions:

• Heat the coconut milk in a sauce pan until steaming.
• Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Let cool – you can refrigerate, or cool it more rapidly by setting the pan in a larger pan filled with ice water and stirring frequently.
• Stir in the Yogurt and vanilla extract – and optional rum flavoring, and mix well.
• Pour into ice cream freezer canister. Add the pineapple, coconut and pecans. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions.
• Finally, sit back  relax  and enjoy that tropical breeze blowing through the coconut palms!

 

Nutritional facts

Per Serving (0.5 cup)  Frozen Goat Yogurt  contains 178 Calories; – Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 4g, Sodium 41mg, Carbohydrates 21g, Sugar 21g, Protein 10g.

 

Cultured Dairy Goat Products:

Cultured yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream and kefir are among the most common fermented dairy products, especially in the Western world. And they are my favorites cultured products.

 

Goat Milk Yogurt

Goat milk yogurt is one of the major cultured products. It may be made from  fresh, unpasteurized, goat milk that has been produced in a sanitary manner,  low-fat, skim or whole milk. Goat milk yogurt can be made in a similar manner to the cow counterpart. It is made essentially the same way as buttermilk, but a different combination of microorganisms is cultured at a higher incubation temperature. Goat milk yogurt is softer and less viscous and often lacks the typical flavor of cow yogurt.

The basic processing procedures of Goat Milk Yogurt include:-

 

• Preparation of goat milk
• Standardization (standardized to 1.0 – 1.7% fat)
• Pasteurization (72 degree Celsius for 20 second)
• Cool the pasteurized mix to 46.7 degree Celsius and hold in vat for up to  15 minutes.
• Inoculation – 45 degree Celsius ( carefully introduce into warm milk or milk mixes 1.25% by weight of active Lactobacillus bulgaricus culture.
• Packaging (set yogurt)
• Incubation (permit filled containers to remain in room at 45 degree Celsius for 3 – 5 hours or until a firm, smooth gel has formed to pH4.5
• Chilling (yogurt is chilled to 7.2 degree Celsius in less than 1 hour)
• Storage and Distribution (store the containers of yogurt at 4.4 degree Celsius or lower, the shelf life at this temperature is 30 to 60 days).

Yogurt made from whole milk (3.25% fat), low fat milk (0.5 to 2.5% fat) or skim milk. Sour cream must contain 18% fat in most states.

 

How to make Yogurt from Raw Goat Milk?

 

Yes, you can make yogurt from raw goat milk as well.

However, I would not suggest store bought milk for this method. You must use fresh clean milk that you have just milked out of your healthy goat and following extremely good sanitary procedure because you are not going to be pasteurizing the milk,  and any harmful bacteria may gets in the milk.

 

Directions:

1. Start with 3 1/2 Cup. clean fresh raw milk.
2. Stir in  1/2 -1 Cup. powdered milk if desired to produce a nice thick curd. (or a specially formulated culture)
3. Warm milk to 115 degrees by whichever method you desire to heat your milk.
4. Pour the warm milk into your incubating jars, add a couple of heaping tablespoon of plain “live culture” yogurt or DVI culture, screw the lid on tight and shake well.
5. Now it is time to incubate; Cooler/heating pad method. Use a larger cooler. Place the cooler in a place where it will be undisturbed. Place the jar with the yogurt milk in the cooler. Place a heating pad over the jar (loosely). Set the pad on high (some pad needs to be set on high, yours may differ) and place the lid on the cooler. Leave it undisturbed for about 6-8 hours. If this is the first time you use this method, put a thermometer in the cooler to see what the pad is heating the inside of the cooler up to. You want it to be at least 110 degrees and not more than 120 degrees. You may need to turn your pad to medium.

 

*There are various methods of incubation – Food dehydrator, Cooler/water method, Cooler/heating pad method, Commercial yogurt maker.

 

The Wonders of Yogurt:

Generally, yogurt contains live bacteria that helps to strengthen your immune system to fight diseases. It aids in stimulating the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria, discouraging and destroying harmful ones.

Yogurt can assist in restoring the digestive tract to its normal condition after a course of antibiotics, which are liable to destroy all intestinal bacteria, both good and bad.

And there is more; Yogurt not only provides you with internal benefits but also gives you other physical advantages. It is good for skin as it contains lactic acid which acts as an exfoliator that helps in getting rid of dead cells. Yogurt can also be used as a face pack for beautiful skin.

With all these benefits, some including myself  view it as “a wonder food”, therefore start taking your goat yogurt daily for good health!

 

Buttermilk

Most people assume buttermilk is high in fat, due to its name. Modern buttermilk is usually made from skim milk (less than 0.5% fat) using the by-product from churning butter out of sour cream.

 

Sour cream

Sour cream is made according to the same temperature and culture methods as used for buttermilk. The main difference is the starting material—sour cream starts with light 18 percent cream.

 

Kefir

Kefir is an acidic, slightly foamy product made from pasteurized and fat-standardized or decreamed goat milk that has passed through a combined acidic and alcoholic fermentation of symbiotic lactic acid bacteria and yeast kefir grains. The finished product Kefir, contains 0.6 to 0.8% lactic acid and 0.5 to 1.0% alcohol.

 

Acidophilus

Acidophilus milk can be made by the activity of L. acidophilus, which is capable of converting a greater proportion of the lactose to lactic acid (2%).

 

Other Cultured Goat Milk Products

Ghee is an Indian clarified butterfat product manufactured by fermenting whole milk into curd and churning out the butter, followed by heat clarification at 105 – 145 degree C.

Additionally, good goat milk products made in India include Chhana, Khoa and Paneer (a cheese). Chhana is an acid and heat-coagulated milk product and a chhana-based sweet is made by kneading chhana and cooking it in sugar syrup over medium heat. Khoa is a heat-desiccated indigenous goat milk product used for various sweets or candy.

 

 

How to Enjoy Dairy Goat Products?

 

A Few Quick Serving Ideas :

• Next time you want a glass of milk, try goat milk instead.
• Goat milk yogurt makes a wonderful base for savory dips. Simply mix in your favorite herbs and spices and serve with crudites.
• Crumble some goat milk cheese on a salad of romaine lettuce, pears and pumpkin seeds.
• Crumbled goat milk cheese is a wonderful rich topping for split pea soup.
• Add extra taste and protein to a vegetable sandwich by including some goat cheese.
• Soft, spreadable goat milk cheese is an exceptional accompaniment to crusty whole grain bread or crackers and fruit.
• Top sliced tomatoes with crumpled goat milk cheese and fresh basil. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

ENJOY!